If you can’t already tell, the holiday season is a month long event. If all that holiday cheer leaves you in a daze, with no clue how celebrate or where to go for fun activities, its ok.  Use this guide to keep your holidays full of cheer and fun.

Whether you’re in to mood for an extravagant night on the town or just a simple event it’s all here, just sit back, relax and let the KHTS holiday guide lead you.

If your idea of a great holiday evening is a cup of hot coco and sitting by the fire reading a book, then be sure to stop by the Annual SCV Literacy and Arts Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday December 5.

The festival, presented by the Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation and the City of Santa Clarita, is being held at William S. Hart Park.  25 tons of snow will be brought in for kids and adults to play in.  There will also be storytelling, crafts and presentations like the art of rock balancing.  It’s even rumored that the staff will be dressed up as their favorite book characters, so bring your costume and imaginations to this fun event.  For more information click here.

With summer behind us, Castaic Lake is giving boaters an opportunity to dust of those covers and rev their engines for their 16^th annual Lighted Boat Parade.  Participants can deck their boats with lights and all sorts of decorations for this fun show on the water.  If you don’t have a boat, don’t worry – there’s a host of activities taking place around Paradise Cove starting at 2 p.m. on December 5.  The boat parade starts 5 p.m. and admission is free, but there is an entrance fee for vehicles entering before 4 p.m.  Here’s a helpful hint: you may want to hit this event a little late to avoid the cost of parking.  To see the flyer and find out more information click here.

This next event is less “holiday” but offers a different sort of fun and dare I say could be educational.  Bring the kids for this free event from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on December 12, and give them an opportunity to learn about the history of Santa Clarita with the Heritage Junction Open House.  Tucked in the corner of William S. Hart park, Heritage Junction is where they will be serving up a hefty dose of history and fun as guests tour the old train station and the neighboring properties.  Here’s a hint:  If they don’t tell you about it, one of the houses on the property is rumored to be haunted, ask them about it and see for yourself if it’s true.  For more information call (661) 254-1275.

The ballet has been bringing stories to life through twinkling toes for centuries and this holiday season the Santa Clarita Ballet Company is keeping the tradition alive with their rendition of the Nutcracker.  This classic tale features performers of all ages on the stage of the Performing Arts Center.  The Ballet Company will be performing for three days only, December 18-20, with only five shows:   Friday, December 18, at 8 p.m. Saturday, December 19, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sunday December 20, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are only available through the S.C.B.C. which can be reached by calling (661) 251-6844.

If you’re looking to get your fill of choirs, holiday concerts and Orchestras, the Performing Arts Center is bringing you just that, starting with their Winter Spectacular on December 5.  This event brings together students from the Canyons Prelude Strings, COC Student Orchestra and Symphony of the Canyons to perform a host of songs including Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker Suite,” starting at 7 p.m.  Be sure to catch The Annual Holiday Concert starting at 7:30 p.m. on December 11, as the award-winning COC Jazz Ensemble and the COC Lab Jazz Combo bring holiday sounds with a hint of jazz.  On December 12 the COC Choir is bringing “A Taste of the Holidays” to the stage.  They will be singing classic Christmas and Hanukkah songs starting at 8 p.m.  The Santa Clarita Master Chorale will be kicking off their 10^th concert season with “Tis the 10^th Season” at 3:30 p.m. on December 12.    For tickets to the event and any other questions click here.

With no time to waste, the Metrolink is teaming up with towns along its route for the “Holiday Toy Express.”   This 47-city tour will make its stop at the Newhall Station at 7:30 on December 4. Visitors will see a 450-ton train decorated with holiday displays and 50,000 twinkling lights that deliver a live musical performance and Santa.  If you cant make that one swing by the Via Princessa stop at 8:15 p.m. on December 20.

Be sure to bring an unwrapped toy to the train to help make someone else’s holidays shine. For more info on the event click here.

If you’re in the mood for a nice drive then grab the kids and stuff them into the car for a night of lights, music and wonderment as the Department of Water and Power brings the 14^th annual Griffith Park Lights Festival.

This cool drive takes you through the heart of Griffith Park as motorists gaze at lights and exhibits, synced to the songs coming through your radio.  Not to be missed, this light show runs through the month of December.  Here’s a hit: the line backs up fast so arrive early to beat the crowds, or better yet check out holidays at the L.A. Zoo and cap the day off with the drive (all that walking might tire your little monkeys out and make for a better car ride).   Click here to find the times and days the show runs.  

If you’re in the mood to take a journey through time you might want to check out the Fillmore and Western Railway Company’s plans for the holidays.  This fun train experience takes you through the magic of the North Pole with their North Pole Express train.  If you’re looking for an alternative to the stress of a Christmas tree lot, then the Christmas Tree Holiday train should be right up your station.  The Fillmore and Western Railway Company also have you covered if you’re looking to have dinner with the fat man himself or if your looking to bring in the new year in 1920’s fashion.  The trains run all season long so be sure to check out their website for specific date and times by clicking here.  

The Westfield Valencia Town Center recently opened its newest addition called the Patios.  With that they also brought you holiday cheer with a list of fun activities for the whole family.

• Dec 3 at 6 p.m. – Live Holiday Entertainment
• Dec 4 at 6 p.m. – Holiday Movie Night – “The Polar Express”
• Dec 6 at 10 a.m. – Snow Day – An annual tradition with “real” snow, entertainment, music and fun for the whole family.
• Dec 10 at 6 p.m. – Live Holiday Entertainment
• Dec 11 at 6 p.m. – Holiday Movie Night – “Eight Crazy Nights”
• Dec 17 at 6 p.m. – Live Holiday Entertainment
• Dec 18 at 6 p.m. – Holiday Movie Night – “A Christmas Story”
• Dec 20 at 2 p.m. – Live Holiday Entertainment

If you know of any other fun events and would like to share, send an email with information about the event to mcdaniel@hometownstation.com.